William Caraker

LAKELAND -- Mr. William "Bill" Caraker was an avid fisherman who at one time ran his own bait and tackle shop out of his home."He caught all the shiners and the minnows and raised his own crickets and worms. He loved it," his daughter, Bobye Sumner of Mulberry said.The retired diesel engineer for IMC died of natural causes associated with old age Thursday (Feb. 9, 2006) at Highland Lake Center. He was 94.The lifelong Floridian was born in Mulberry on April 24, 1911, and attended Mulberry schools growing up. He married his future wife of 72 years when he was 21 and she was 14 years old.His career with IMC spanned 42 years, with his retiring as a diesel engineer at the age of 62."When he first went to work there, there were trolleys, and he used to teach other employees how to operate the trolley. Then it went from a trolley to a diesel locomotive. He got his exercise by when he was doing the trolley, he would put that rascal in gear, and they would be going down the tracks, he would get out of it and jog alongside of it," Sumner said. Mr. Caraker came to Lakeland following his retirement.He was a lifelong, avid fisherman and worked as a commercial fisherman after leaving IMC."He loved Englewood. He used to go to all the time. He threw a cast net off the end of a boat until his late 70s," Sumner said, noting that when she and her brothers were growing up, her family fished and camped quite often.She described her father as a man with a good sense of humor who loved babies. He also could take a stick and put it in the ground, and it would grow, she said.He was a member of Wildwood Baptist Church.In addition to his daughter, Bobye Sumner, Mr. Caraker is survived by his wife of 72 years, Annie Lou Caraker; sons, Billy Caraker, Englewood, Doug Caraker, Charles Caraker, both of Lakeland, George Caraker, Mulberry, James Caraker, Englewood; 17 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Monday at Seigler Funeral Home, Highway 60 E., Mulberry. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home chapel.